1968 Travel Queen Resto Mod - 8. Fresh Water
This Part 8. Fresh Water, begins at a stage in our game of rebuilding the left sidewall of the camper. It is here on that side where we run into the utility connections, much of which are fresh water ...
Forum Discussion
I didn't get anything done on the camper yesterday, not even a next coat of poly, which puts me one day back. And I might even be put back a second day, because I'm now considering a second coat of poly on the back sides of the cabinet doors. Oh I'm sorry. We were talking about that over in Galley & Greatroom. You'd have to run over there to get caught up.
We made a long held-out decision on the stove surround. I think you're going to like it. But we'll talk about that down the road. And we found the cabinet clasps - in a better style than I had hoped. They were kind of pricey for what they are, but we're saving money elsewhere so you buy what you gotta buy.
But the other day? Well I got a few things done the other day. And each of those things are a post. So that's why were here today at "Fresh Water".
This is the last time you'll see the back sides of the fresh water tank. It's getting installed!
I grabbed a bucket of warm, soapy water and washed down the tank. When the tank came it had plastic wrapped on the filler neck. It was loose and the inside seemed cleaned so I taped over the neck; all the other holes have threaded caps.
Once cleaned up nice and labels removed (the tank itself has permanent details embossed on it and I think the labels were intermediate handler's labels and had no important info on them that I could interpret), I set it down in place and ripped some stock into new cleats. Here they sit in place where I marked them for fasteners.
Then I pre-drilled the screw holes and rounded the one cleat's corner on the bench sander. That rounding will allow the tank to lift on that end and lift up and out, should the tank need to come out in future. No need to remove cleats. Dis-assembly of systems on top of the tank will double for removing the tank "hold-down" method(s). I try to make everything do at least double duty.
Then I touched them with some 60 grit, painted them primer white and went to see how DW was doing in the garden. She's clearing more sod. Yeah I know. I wish I could help her, but - I have this camper, you know? The garden is going to be great!
But after chatting with her for a few minutes, and giving her some unasked for tips, it was back to the shop. The fast drying primer was - well, dry!
So in went the cleats.
Then I set the tank back...
And gently laid it into position. At this point it wasn't "seated".
Then pressing down lightly, it snapped into place!
The tank was placed in this location purposely. Of course it's where the original tank was, so that's a no-brainer. But it's offset to the right for a couple of reasons. One is to shift it's weight to the camper right side, where along with batteries, propane tanks, Porti-Potti tanks and grey water tank, it can balance the large weights on the left side: refrigerator, range, hot water heater, kitchen storage, ceramic tile back splash - you get the idea.
But having it to the right also grants space to the left for the water pump and pressure tank. I like jfet's recommendation for the small Shurflo accumulator tank found earlier in this thread.
I haven't researched pumps. I think they are made in quite a number of sizes for flow and pressure. In the past I've used what came with the unit, or what the RV Store had on the shelf.
I'd sure like to hear from some of you on what numbers I should be considering based on the size and use of our camper. We'd probably use two faucets at once. There's the galley sink, the bath sink/shower and the outside spray port. Perhaps more flow force at the galley for when you want it, and it may be nice at the shower - DW has long hair and likes a good flow for rinsing. But we'd want some control back to "low water use" for most of the time and that's probably a faucet thing. Any ideas on what we need by way of the pump?
The space available from tank wall to camper wall is 8", and available space from back to front - 16", top to bottom - 16".
We made a long held-out decision on the stove surround. I think you're going to like it. But we'll talk about that down the road. And we found the cabinet clasps - in a better style than I had hoped. They were kind of pricey for what they are, but we're saving money elsewhere so you buy what you gotta buy.
But the other day? Well I got a few things done the other day. And each of those things are a post. So that's why were here today at "Fresh Water".
This is the last time you'll see the back sides of the fresh water tank. It's getting installed!
I grabbed a bucket of warm, soapy water and washed down the tank. When the tank came it had plastic wrapped on the filler neck. It was loose and the inside seemed cleaned so I taped over the neck; all the other holes have threaded caps.
Once cleaned up nice and labels removed (the tank itself has permanent details embossed on it and I think the labels were intermediate handler's labels and had no important info on them that I could interpret), I set it down in place and ripped some stock into new cleats. Here they sit in place where I marked them for fasteners.
Then I pre-drilled the screw holes and rounded the one cleat's corner on the bench sander. That rounding will allow the tank to lift on that end and lift up and out, should the tank need to come out in future. No need to remove cleats. Dis-assembly of systems on top of the tank will double for removing the tank "hold-down" method(s). I try to make everything do at least double duty.
Then I touched them with some 60 grit, painted them primer white and went to see how DW was doing in the garden. She's clearing more sod. Yeah I know. I wish I could help her, but - I have this camper, you know? The garden is going to be great!
But after chatting with her for a few minutes, and giving her some unasked for tips, it was back to the shop. The fast drying primer was - well, dry!
So in went the cleats.
Then I set the tank back...
And gently laid it into position. At this point it wasn't "seated".
Then pressing down lightly, it snapped into place!
The tank was placed in this location purposely. Of course it's where the original tank was, so that's a no-brainer. But it's offset to the right for a couple of reasons. One is to shift it's weight to the camper right side, where along with batteries, propane tanks, Porti-Potti tanks and grey water tank, it can balance the large weights on the left side: refrigerator, range, hot water heater, kitchen storage, ceramic tile back splash - you get the idea.
But having it to the right also grants space to the left for the water pump and pressure tank. I like jfet's recommendation for the small Shurflo accumulator tank found earlier in this thread.
I haven't researched pumps. I think they are made in quite a number of sizes for flow and pressure. In the past I've used what came with the unit, or what the RV Store had on the shelf.
I'd sure like to hear from some of you on what numbers I should be considering based on the size and use of our camper. We'd probably use two faucets at once. There's the galley sink, the bath sink/shower and the outside spray port. Perhaps more flow force at the galley for when you want it, and it may be nice at the shower - DW has long hair and likes a good flow for rinsing. But we'd want some control back to "low water use" for most of the time and that's probably a faucet thing. Any ideas on what we need by way of the pump?
The space available from tank wall to camper wall is 8", and available space from back to front - 16", top to bottom - 16".